Wafer Container with Integrated Wafer Restraint Module

ABSTRACT

A wafer container includes a container body, the internal of which is disposed with a plurality of slots for supporting a plurality of wafers and an opening is formed on one sidewall of which for importing and exporting said plurality of wafers, and a door with an outer surface and an inner surface, which is joined with opening of the container body with its inner surface for protecting the plurality of wafers in the container body, the characteristic in that: a recess is integrated with the inner surface of the door for separating the inner surface into two platforms, a restraint module is formed respectively on each of two platforms, and each restraint module includes a base which is disposed with a plurality of notches arranged at interval for contacting said plurality of wafers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present field of the invention is related to a wafer container, and more particularly, to a wafer container with wafer restraint module integrated with two platforms on two sides of the recess of the inner surface of the door, with the design of which, not only can wafers settle in the recess of the door for decreasing the size of wafer container, but the wafer restraint component can also firmly sustain the wafers to prevent wafers from moving during the transferring process.

2. Description of the Prior Art

The semiconductor wafers are transferred to different stations to apply the various processes in the required equipments. A sealed container is provided for automatic transfer to prevent the pollution from occurring during transferring process. FIG. 1 shows the views of wafer container of the conventional prior art. The wafer container is a front opening unified pod (FOUP) which includes a container body 10 and a door 20. The container body 10 is disposed with a plurality of slots 11 for horizontally supporting a plurality of wafers, and an opening 12 is located on a sidewall of the container body 10 for importing and exporting. Further, the door 20 includes an outer surface 21 and an inner surface 22, in which the door 20 is joined with the opening 12 of the container body 10 via inner surface 22 to protect the plurality of wafers within the container body 10. Furthermore, at least one latch hole 23 is disposed on the outer surface 21 of the door 20 for opening or closing the wafer container. According to the aforementioned, due to that the wafer is placed in the container body 10 horizontally, thus, the FOUP needs a wafer restraint component to prevent the wafer from displacement or from movement toward the opening 12 of container body 10 occurring during the wafer transferring process due to vibration.

FIG. 2 is a view of structure of door 20 of a front opening unified pod (FOUP) as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,736,268. As shown in FIG. 2, the inner surface 22 of the door 20 is disposed with a recess 24 and the recess 24 is extended from the top 221 of the inner surface 22 to the bottom 222, and is located between two locking components 230 (inside of the door 20). A wafer restraint module (not shown in Figure) is further disposed in the recess 24. The wafer restraint module consists two wafer restraint components 100, and each wafer restraint component 100 includes a plurality of wafer contact heads 110 to sustain corresponding wafers, so as to prevent the wafer from displacement or movement toward the door opening due to vibration occurring in the wafer transportation procedure. However, the above-mentioned wafer restraint module is disposed on the recess 24 of the inner surface 22 of the door 20, and the wafer is merely attached to the inner surface 22 of the door 20 or the wafer is partially settled down within the recess 24. The wafers either sit adjacent to the inner surface 22 of the door 20 or only slightly enter into the recess 24. As a result, the wafers are not securely and fully settled into the recess 24 in order to effectively shorten the length between the front side and the back side of the FOUP. In addition, the tiny dust particles generated due to the friction between the wafer restraint module and the wafers can be easily accumulated in the recess 24. In the process of cleaning the accumulated dust particles, it is necessary to separate the wafer restraint module from the recess 24 on the inner surface 22 of the door 20. By frequent separation and assembly of the wafer restraint module in order to apply the cleaning process, the wafer restraint module is easily slackened.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In wafer container of prior art, the design of wafer restraint component causes problems such as size of wafer container that cannot be decreased, tiny dust particles that cannot be easily cleaned, and slackening of wafer restraint module that occurs more easily. One objective of the present invention is thus to provide a door formed by integration. Each notch of the wafer restraint module on one platform on two sides of the recess disposed on the surface of the door can be correspondingly aligned with the notch of the wafer restraint module on the other platform for increasing the accuracy of contact between wafer and notch.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a front opening unified pod (FOUP) with wafer restraint module, wherein the wafer restraint module is disposed on platforms on two sides of the recess of the inner surface of the door for the recess to effectively support wafers and for decreasing the size of the front opening unified pod (FOUP).

Still another objective of the present invention is to provide a front opening unified pod (FOUP) with wafer restraint module, wherein the wafer restraint module is disposed on platforms on two sides of the recess of the inner surface of the door for shortening the distance for wafer restraint module to sustain and home wafer, for the door to close smoothly, and for reducing particles generated during the homing process of the wafer.

Yet another objective of the present invention is to provide a front opening unified pod (FOUP) with wafer restraint module, wherein the wafer restraint module is disposed on platforms on two sides of the recess of the inner surface of the door for tiny dust particles generated due to friction between wafer restraint module and wafer to gather in corner of the recess and to be cleaned up more easily without removing the wafer restraint module during the process of cleaning the wafer container.

According to above objectives, the present invention provides a front opening unified pod (FOUP), which includes a container body and a door. A plurality of slots are disposed in the container body for supporting a plurality of wafers, and an opening is formed on one sidewall of the container body for importing and exporting the plurality of wafers. The door includes an outer surface and an inner surface; the door joins with the opening of container body via its inner surface for protecting the plurality of wafers in the container body. The characteristic of front opening unified pod (FOUP) in that: a recess is integrated with the inner surface of the door for separating the inner surface into two platforms, a restraint module is formed respectively on each of two platforms, and each restraint module includes a base which is disposed with a plurality of notches arranged at interval for contacting said plurality of wafers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will become more readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a view of the wafer container of the prior art;

FIG. 2 is a view of the door of a front opening unified pod (FOUP) of the prior art;

FIG. 3 is a view of a front opening unified pod (FOUP) of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a view of the integrated door of a front opening unified pod (FOUP) of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a magnified view of the integrated door of a front opening unified pod (FOUP) of the present invention; and

FIG. 6 is a view of the wafer restraint module of a front opening unified pod (FOUP) of the present invention contacting the wafer.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In order to disclose the skills applied in, the objectives of, and the effects achieved by the present invention in a more complete and clearer manner, preferred embodiments are herein described below in detail with related drawings disclosed for reference.

Referring to FIG. 3, which is a view of front opening unified pod (FOUP) of the present invention. The front opening unified pod (FOUP) includes a container body 10 and a door 20. A plurality of slots 11 are disposed in the container body 10 for supporting a plurality of wafers, and an opening 12 is formed on one sidewall of the container body 10 for importing and exporting the plurality of wafers. The door 20 includes an outer surface 21 and an inner surface 22. Around the central area of inner surface 22 of door 20 is disposed with a recess 24; therefore the recess 24 can separate the inner surface 22 of door 20 into two platforms 25. Since no other component is disposed in the recess 24, the recess 24 can be used for being settled down with the plurality of wafers in the container body 10, in other words, a part of wafer can enter into the recess 24. Thus, with the design of recess 24, the length between the front side and the back side of the FOUP can be shortened. And in order to effectively fasten the wafers, a wafer restraint module 30 is disposed respectively on each of two platforms 25 of door 20 for pushing each wafer in the container body 10 to a fixed position for fastening during the closing process of door 20. In addition to the merit that the wafers can be prevented from moving toward the opening, there is also the merit that the number of wafers settling down the recess 24 can be controlled. Moreover, in each of two platforms 25 of the present invention is disposed with a latch component (not shown in Figure), and each latch component forms a latch hole on corresponding outer surface 21.

The length of the recess 24 disposed on the inner surface 22 of the door 20 is related to the distance between slots 11 in container body 10 and the number of the wafers. The distance between 12″ wafers or between 18″ wafers has been a standard regulation in the industry to achieve maximum capacity of loading and ensure at the same time that there is enough space for the mechanical arm to stretch in for importing or exporting. In general, the number of wafers to be in the wafer container is 25 pieces, and therefore, the length of the recess 24 is also more fixed. However, the width and the depth of recess 24 of the present invention can be adjusted. When the thickness of the door 20 is constant, the depth of recess 24 can be adjusted to be deeper, and the width of recess 24 is also adjusted to be wider for the whole wafer to be placed further into recess 24.

Moreover, referring to FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, which are a view and a magnified view of integrated door of a front opening unified pod (FOUP) of the present invention. The door 20 of the present invention is formed with integration. Therefore, when the door 20 is formed, the recess 24 on door 20, the two platforms 25, and the wafer restraint module 30 are formed at the same time. And door 20 and wafer restraint module 30 disposed on inner surface 22 of door 20 can be formed with polymer plastic material by injection molding or injection/compression molding. As described above, each wafer restraint module 30 is integrated with door 20. In other words, a rectangular bar base 31 extends and protrudes from the inner surface 22 of door 20, the bottom surface of the rectangular bar base 31 being integrated with inner surface 22 of door 20, and a plurality of notches 32 arranged at interval are formed on the base 31. Meanwhile, each notch 32 of wafer restraint module 30 on a platform 25 is correspondingly aligned with notch 32 of wafer restraint module 30 on another platform 25. Thus, with recess 24 as center, each corresponding notch 32 can be correspondingly aligned and contacts a wafer for restricting wafer in the container body 10 from moving toward the opening during the transferring process. Since door 20 is integrated with wafer restraint module 30, each notch 32 of wafer restraint module 30 on two platforms 25 can be accurately aligned. And above-mentioned plurality of notches 32 are quasi-V-shaped or quasi-U-shaped guide notch structures for smoothly guiding and firmly fastening wafers. In addition, the surface of guide notch 32 can also be coated with a wear-resisting material, such as PEEK material, to reduce friction of the wafer. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 5, the wafer restraint module 30 integrated with door 20 of the present invention can further include a slope 311 to reduce material needed for injection molding. Of course, the section of the wafer restraint module 30 can also be rectangular, which is not restricted in the present invention.

Then, referring to FIG. 6, which is a view of the wafer restraint module of a front opening unified pod (FOUP) of the present invention contacting the wafer. Since the wafer restraint module 30 on platforms 25 on two sides of recess 24 are symmetrical, the resultant forces is formed toward the center of the wafer when wafer restraint module 30 contacts the wafer for preventing the wafer from shaking. And since no other component is disposed in the recess 24, a part of wafer can enter into the recess 24. Thus, with the design of recess 24, the overall size of the wafer container can be decreased and the center of gravity of the FOUP can be very close to the center of the whole FOUP, and thus the FOUP will not easily tilt when being transferred by the mechanical arm. Moreover, the distance of wafer entering the recess 24 can also be controlled by the shape of base 31 or the angle of notch 32, which means that the size of wafer container of the present invention is adjustable. And as wafer restraint module 30 of the present invention is integrated with door 20 and being disposed on platforms 25 on two sides of recess 24 of inner surface 24 of door 20, the distance for wafer restraint module to sustain and home wafer can be shortened, the door can close smoothly, and particles generated during the homing process of the wafer can be reduced.

While the invention has been described by way of examples and in terms of the preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. To the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements as would be apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the scope of the appended claims should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements. 

1. A wafer container including a container body that having a plurality of slots therein for supporting a plurality of wafers and having an opening formed on a sidewall of said container body for importing and exporting said plurality of wafers, and a door with an outer surface and an inner surface, said door joining with said opening of said container body via said inner surface for protecting said plurality of wafers in said container body, the characteristic in that: a recess is integrated with said inner surface of said door for separating said inner surface into two platforms, a restraint module is formed respectively on each of said two platforms, and each restraint module includes a base which is disposed with a plurality of notches arranged at interval for contacting said plurality of wafers.
 2. The wafer container according to claim 1, wherein material of said door is polymer plastic material.
 3. The wafer container according to claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of notches is a quasi-V-shaped guide notch structure.
 4. The wafer container according to claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of notches is a quasi-U-shaped guide notch structure.
 5. The wafer container according to claim 1, wherein surface of said plurality of notches is coated with a wear-resisting material.
 6. The wafer container according to claim 5, wherein said wear-resisting material is PEEK material.
 7. The wafer container according to claim 1, wherein a latch component is disposed in each of said two platforms.
 8. A wafer container including a container body that having a plurality of slots therein for supporting a plurality of wafers and having an opening formed on a sidewall of said container body for importing and exporting said plurality of wafers, and a door with an outer surface and an inner surface, said door joining with said opening of said container body via said inner surface for protecting said plurality of wafers in said container body, the characteristic in that: a recess is integrated with said inner surface of said door for separating said inner surface into two platforms, a restraint module is formed respectively on each of said two platforms, and each restraint module includes a base with slope on which is disposed with a plurality of notches arranged at interval for contacting said plurality of wafers.
 9. The wafer container according to claim 8, wherein material of said door is polymer plastic material.
 10. The wafer container according to claim 8, wherein each of said plurality of notches is a quasi-V-shaped guide notch structure.
 11. The wafer container according to claim 8, wherein each of said plurality of notches is a quasi-U-shaped guide notch structure.
 12. The wafer container according to claim 8, wherein surface of said plurality of notches is coated with a wear-resisting material.
 13. The wafer container according to claim 12, wherein said wear-resisting material is PEEK material.
 14. The wafer container according to claim 8, wherein a latch component is disposed in each of said two platforms. 